Latest Hobbema death a homicide: RCMP

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RCMP in Hobbema, about 100 kilometres south of Edmonton, are treating a body found in a back alley on the Samson First Nation town site Saturday morning as a homicide.

An autopsy was performed on 21-year-old the body of Dale Dechamps Tuesday, although police are not releasing any information on the cause of death at this time, said RCMP Cpl. Darrel Bruno Wednesday.

This is the second homicide in a week in the community that serves four reserves in the area.

A 16-year-old boy, Billy Buffalo, was killed in what police believe was a gang-related shooting on July 27.

The Dechamps homicide does not appear to be connected to the earlier killing, Bruno said, adding that there is no indication the latest victim was involved in gang activity.

Police are asking for public assistance in solving the latest crime.

Just last week RCMP and band officials began a four-month gun amnesty as part of efforts to get weapons out of the community, which has been racked by gun and gang violence. The amnesty runs until Nov. 30.

The amnesty was announced in response to the shooting three months ago of two-year-old Asia Saddleback. A bullet fired through her grandfather's home on the Samson Cree First nation stuck her as she was eating Sunday dinner on April 13.